Holders Should Welcome
Shell's Simpler Structure

Shell has done it. The oil and gas titan has gone the whole hog and unified its two holding companies, creating a single company with a single board. (See related article.)

Unpicking the company's century-old dual-headed structure was no easy task. To get there, Shell had to work through complex tax issues and navigate political sensitivities. The final structure fully reflects this. Royal Dutch Shell PLC, the new company, will be a...